Last block gauge for last lathes



May 30 1939 n E. ELDRIDGE 2,160,723

LAST BLOCK GAUGE FOR LAST LATHES Filed Oct. 24, 1936 Fig. l.

INVENTOR.

EvereTT E Idrige s A TToRNEYs.

Patented May 30, 1939 LAST BLOCK GAUGE FOR LAST LATHES Everett Eldridge, Portsmouth, Ohio, assignor to Vulcan Corporation, Portsmouth, Ohio Application October 24, 1936, Serial No. 107,344

2 Claims. (Cl. 142-55) This invention relates to gauging devices for positioning an uncut last block in a last lathe in preparation for the turning operation. It has heretofore been the practice of lathe operators front elevation of the upper portion of a standn ard last turning lathe. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the gauge applied to the lathe. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of line 3 3,

to rely upon their unaided judgment in position- Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view :5

ing an uncut block in a lathe. This practice has taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2. lead to a condition where many lasts must be A gauge of the character defined herein may rejected because of inaccurate positioning of the be designed as a fixed element of the last turnblock between the lathe centers. Even though ing lathe or as illustrated herein, it may be conlO the block is over-size, if it is not properly posistructed to be readily detachable from the lathe. 10 tioned with respect to the lathe centers, the cut- Two of these gauges indicated generally at I are ter will run away from the block and cause a shown in Fig. l applied to the swing frame 2 of defect in the turned last. a last lathe. At the model end of the swing It is an object of the present invention to proframe, the lathe is provided with the usual heel l5 vide means for accurately positioning the uncut dog 3 and toe dog 4 acting to support and rof15 block between the lathe centers prior to the turntate the model 5. The uncut last block 6 is suping operation. ported by the heel dog l and the toe dog 8. One A further object of the invention resides in of the gauges I is shown co-acting with the model the provision of adjustable gauging means which 5, while the other gauge is show n co-acting with is universally adapted to act as a guide for poblock 6. The function and construction of these 20 sitioning blocks of any size or contour between gauges will appear in detail hereinafter. the lathe centers. The gauges I may be attached to the lathe in Another object of the invention is to provide any suitable manner. As shown herein, the a last block gauging device, which is provided gauges are detachably held in position upon the with indication marks for predetermining the bar 9 upon the swing frame 2. The gauges are 125 adjustments of the gauge. provided with a resilient clip member Il) which Other objects and features of the invention embraces the bar 9 and is held in adjusted posiwill more fully appear from the following description thereon by friction. Desirably, the clip tion in connection with the accompanying drawmember I constitutes the support for the re- 3 ing and will be particularly pointed out in the maining elements of the gauge. The front wall 30 claims. I I of the clip member is drilled to receive a stud The present invention provides a very effective bolt I2, the shank of which projects forwardly method of rapidly and accurately gauging the and through a slot I3 in a vertically adjustable position of uncut last blocks between centers in gauge .arm I4. The gauge arm I4 desirably is the last lathe. Briefly, the invention consists of guided during its adjustment by means of the 35 a gauge applied to the swing frame of the lathe outwardly bent lips I5 engaging the side edges or to the last block supporting means, whatever of the arm I4. The lips I5 may be integral with its form may be. The gauge is adjustable lengththe clip member I0. wise along the lathe axis and is also adjustable A thumb nut I6 is received on the outer end in and out or toward and from the center about of the stud bolt I2 and acts to clamp the arm I4 40 which the last block is to be rotated. The gauge upon the clip member I0 in any desired, adjusted is provided with .a vertically adjustable gauging position. To facilitate the adjustment of the arm bearing indication marks. This gauging arm gauge, it is provided with a pointer II cc-operatis adjusted by means of the indication marks into ing with a scale I8X vertically inscribed upon the m a position from data determined by the size of arm I4 and another pointer I8 co-operating with 45 the last block to be turned and the specifications a scale I9 inscribed along the length of the bar Vof the model tobe employed in turning the last. 9 of the swing frame of the lathe. The pointers In one method of using this gauge, it is adjusted il' and I8 may be arranged upon the gauge in along the lathe axis until the gauging arm is subany suitable manner and, as herein shown, are stantially in the plane of the high or comb porsituated upon the extremities of a plate 2U. The 50 tion of the block. After these adjustments are plate 2l! is held between the inner face of the made, the operator places the block between cenwall I I and the outer face of the bar 9. An aperters. in the lathe with its comb portion just clearture 2I is formed in the plate 2li, within which ing the lower end of the arm of the gauge. The is received the head 22 of the stud bolt I2. The 5 3 block is then ready for turning. head of the bolt I2 thus functions to position the 55 The details of the gauge construction and other plate 2U laterally with respect to the arm I4. methods of its use will appear more fully herein- The pointer Il is bent forwardly and then back after. upon itself, thereby to position its pointed end A particular embodiment of the invention is ilclosely adjacent to the characters on the scale lustrated in the drawing, where-in Fig. 1 is a IBX. The pointer I8 lies flush along the front 60 face of the bar 9 upon which the characters of the scale I9 are inscribed.

In the use of the gauge, the block may be positioned between centers by setting it to the point 23 of the arm I4 at any selected point upon the surface of the block. A desirable point upon the block to carry out the gauging operation has been found to be the high point of the comb portion of the last block. The first adjustment of the gauge is accomplished by moving it along the bar 9 of the swing frame until the pointed end 23 of the arm I4 lies in plane 24 within which lies the highest point of the block 6. If the vertical position of the arm I4 has not already been determined and tabulated, its vertical setting may be found in the following manner. A block is carefully placed between centers in the lathe in correct position to produce a perfect last. This position may be determined by trial and error or by direct measurement or in any suitable manner. With the block in position to-present its comb portion upward, the gauge arm I4 is moved into a position where its point just clears the surface of the block. When the gauge has been thus adjusted, subsequent blocks may be quickly placed in the lathe, using the arm of the gauge as a guide, with the assurance that none of the lasts turned will be rejected on account of defective turning. Y

Another desirable method of quickly and easily adjusting the gauge for a given block size, is to provide the latter with two gauges, one of which is associated with the model and the other with the block. Under this method, the model is placed between the model heel and toe dog in the usual manner. The gauge arm I4 of the gauge associated with the model is then adjusted into position where it just clears the upper extremity of the comb of the model. The reading on the scale I9 as indicated by the pointer I8 is noted as is also the position of the pointer I'I upon the scale I8X. The gauge associated with the block 6 is now adjusted into a position corresponding to the position of the other gauge, such .45. position being found by duplicating the settings of the pointers and corresponding scales as noted in connection with the model gauge. It is desirable that the scale readings thus obtained, the size of the block and the number of the model used, be tabulated for future reference.

Variations from the above exact procedure may be employedfor setting the gauges properly. Some operators may judge it is better practice to allow a certain xed dimension to exist between the outermost periphery of the block and the outermost position to which the cutter is thrown by the model as the model wheel traverses the comb of the model. A method of making such allowance is to adjust the model gauge so that its indicating arm clears the comb of the model the amount of the desired allowance, which may be a fraction of an inch of the nature of one-quarter or whatever is deemed proper. As the block is turned under these conditions, a chip, the depth of the dimension of the clearance allowed will be removed from the block in the upper extremity of the comb.

Obviously, the gauge may be used in many ways other than those above mentioned. It is well known that the bottom of the usual last block is the best and hardest portion thereof, being nearest the outer periphery of the log from which the blocks are cut. The comb of the block is towards the heart of the tree or the soft, pithy portion of the log. It is desirable, therefore, in some instances, to gauge the blocks from their bottom surfaces. To do this, the model gauge is adjusted into engagement with or slightly away from the bottom surface of the model, preferably at the ball portion thereof. The block gauge is then adjusted to correspond to the model gauge. Before proceeding to turn the block, however, the gauges must be removed from the lathe or moved out of the path of the model and block. In following this latter method, the operator is assured that the hardest and best portion of the last will not be removed by the cutter and that the hard portion will be presented to the severe pressure of the sole leveling and similar operations during the manufacture of a shoe.

The position of the dogs upon the respective end faces of the block is not particularly critical, since there is always much wood to be removed at these points. If, however, the operator properly uses the gauges while placing the block between centers, he will be assured of a perfectly turned last.

Not only does the use of the present invention prevent waste of blocks, but smaller blocks may be used, thereby saving lumber. It has heretofore been the practice to use blocks suflciently large to minimize the chance of error in placing the blocks in the lathe. By the use of the present invention the size of the blocks may be held to Within a relatively close limit to the dimension of the nished last without the possibility of Wasting blocks. Furthermore, it will be possible by means of the present invention to utilize many of the blocks that have been discarded as waste due to improper preliminary trimming of the block intended for use in turning a given size of last. These latter blocks, which would ordinarily lbe thrown out, may readily be used in turning a smaller sized last, provided the blocks are accurately and securely gauged in their position in the lathe. Y

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be claimed by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a last lathe having model and block holding and manipulating instrumentalities, a gauge associated with said model holding instrumentality, a scale on said gauge for indicating the position of the model in the lathe, a gauge associated with said block holding instrumentality, an adjustable arm on said latter gauge and a scale on said latter gauge corresponding to said first mentioned gauge, whereby the gauging arm on said latter gauge may be adjusted to a position corresponding to the gauging position of said rst mentioned gauge.

2. In a last lathe comprising heel and toe dogs for reciving a model and an uncut last block, a bar on the lathe frame in proximity to the heel and toe'dogs for said last block and substantially parallel to the axis of the dogs therefor, a slide on the bar, a threaded member projecting from the slide, a plate on the slide having an elongated slot through which the threaded member extends, the plate being slidable transversely of said axis to determine the position of the last block in its heel and toe dogs, and means on said threaded member for clamping theplate in an adjusted position on the slide.

EVERETT ELDRIDGE. 

